Sunday, November 8, 2009

Fairy Tale Syndrome

Imagine when you were a little girl, did you dress up like a princess from the Disney movies and make your younger siblings play your subjects? When you were little did your father call you his little princess and give you everything you want. This could lead to a syndrome called fairytale syndrome. Fairy Tale Syndrome also called Cinderella Syndrome is when a little girl thinks that she will grow up and things will either be like a fairy tale or her love life will be perfect. For those of you who have girls do you tell them that they are princesses, or do you say how they will stay at home and not have to do anything in their white picket fenced house while their perfect man will go to work and support them? This might be giving you child what psychiatrist call Cinderella Syndrome. A writer describes this syndrome as “girls dreamed of being swept away by a strong Prince Charming, who saves their lives, loves them unconditionally, and gives them everything they want; and, our boys expect to become mesmerized by a beautiful, sweet, loving Princess, to whom they willingly would give the world on a silver platter. Both believe they will be saved from a wicked stepparent, or abusive parents, then go on to live happily ever after. In their world of make believe, life is sweet smelling roses void of thorns.” (Cinderella Syndrome—Quesinberry, Bonita par. 1) The children start to think that all stepparents are bad. This syndrome is damaging to both families and children. Now unlike I used to think the Grimm fairy tales also cause this disorder along with Disney. The fairy tales tell of how the rich are always beautiful and usually get their way. This could make a child strive for money only and think that is all there is to life. The other part says that poor but clever and good people get a chance to make their way through magical test and find their true desires. This teaches children the wrong morals and makes things very confussing when they are introduced into the real world.

The New york times had an article in 1981 says that woman maybe just be secretly scared of independence. I think that this is something that was branded into the brains of woman for decades and now we are coming out of being held down by conformity to our parent’s standards. I think this is a very good thing. Many women today have careers, pay their own bills, and live alone. Modren woman have more choices than woman generations ago and does not want to make thier own way in the world. I do understand that raising a family is a full time responsibilty and in now way do I think that that is not being a modren woman. A woman that builds a sucessful home and is a role model for thier children on how to live. This is very ideal for children and probly prevents this syndrome as long as the parents is being honest about the real world. I know that not every little girl or boy grows up to think this but it is a scary possibility that we might be twisting our children’s brains by telling them bedtime stories.




Quesinberry, Bonita. “Cinderella Syndrome”
http://bonnieq.wordpress.com/ 2007, Nov 8 2009,


Unknown. “''The Cinderella Complex: Women's Hidden Fear of Independence''
http://www.nytimes.com/ 1981, Nov 8 2009,

9 comments:

  1. For some reason the bottem of both MLAs is not showing up i can take the brakets off and it will show up but than it wount be in MLA formation.
    - Nikita

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  2. Cinderella Syndrome is out there, for sure. But remember, a lot of fairy tales do not end with rescue, or happily ever after!
    Cinderella, for example, which was, I think, written by Charles Perrault (although there may well be Grimm versions out there), does take much of her fate into her hands. By going to the ball, then running away, she could be said to be luring the prince to her.
    Keep it up on the blog. You are putting some intriguing stuff out there.

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  3. Thanks! I think the name comes frome the Disney version of Cinderella.

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  4. I absolutely love all your pictures and how you tie them in to your blogs so perfectly. I agree with your statement that so often in fairy tales stepparents are portrayed as evil and that this is damaging to both families and children. In reality some regular parents are pretty messed up and downright evil if you listen to the news. There's good and bad in everyone.

    I disagree that the rich are always beautiful...think about Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters because they were downright ugly. It's a good thing they had money because they had nothing else...no looks, no personality, and no man.

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  5. This reminds me of Jessica's post, in which she was discussing the issue of men and infidelity. I had mentioned to her that I think some men are brutes, but some women are also problems, in that they resort back to "helplessness" behaviors. I think my point is reflected in your NYT connection here. I am really afraid that this princess/Cinderella syndrome will affect my neices.

    Interesting post!

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  7. I read this and it reminded me of one of my earlier posts as well. Woman simply can not let the fate of their worlds rely on men sweeping them off their feet. Always have a back up plan. Don't get me wrong, there may be a few prince charming's out there in the world but, very rarely do we ever come across such stunning beings. The world we live in today makes me ill just to think of how men have transformed from princes to jerks. The "princess syndrome" had to start somewhere. Men were not always this shallow and heartless.

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  8. I am a firm believer in the saying "chivalry is dead"

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  9. What a coincidence, me too. Must be true!

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